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All of this came to an end when, in 1871, Rome became the capital of the unified Kingdom of Italy. The new nation was to be modern, democratic & secular. The clean-but-classical design of the The Altare della Patria or "wedding cake" monument in Rome shows their desired look.
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The new Italian government soon handed control of the Colosseum over to archaeologists, who set about removing the religious icons & clearing it of its greenery (this photo 1890). The Colosseum's days as a wild & overgrown place came to a close.
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Botanist & Countess Elisabetta Fiorini Mazzanti mourned the loss of the Colosseum’s flora: "Nature liked to dress poetically the venerable walls by mitigating their sternness with the graceful ornament of plants and flowers… now archaeological cupidity has destroyed everything"
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Despite these early losses, the Colosseum is still a haven for plants. A study between 1990-2000 found 243 distinct species still growing there, although this number is scarcely half what Deakin observed in the C19th.
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Plants growing in the Colosseum include very rare species like Asphodelus Fistulosus (L) & Sedum Dasyphyllum (R), which are sheltered by the arena, a sanctuary from the urban environment outside. But whether these came here on the pelts of lions, we may never know for sure.
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This is another example of a ruin being used to construct & reinforce an identity. Certain parts of the ruin, the ancient stones & arches, are deemed "proper". Other parts, like the plantlife & the later historical stages of the ruin, are deemed "improper", & are removed.
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As a researcher I'm divided. The ruin must be preserved, but on an emotional level I still feel this loss. Can we undertake valuable conservation work & also keep the romance of old ruins, their use as inspiration for artists & the stories hidden in the layers of their history?
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If you want to read more on the subject of the Colosseum's lost history & plantlife, you might start with this further reading: Christopher Woodward, In Ruins: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/In_Ruins.html?id=mZd-jFjTu1UC… Richard Deakin, Flora of the Colosseum: https://archive.org/details/floracolosseumr00deakgoog…
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Thanks for listening! As a bonus, here’s a picture someone took of a rebellious caper plant still growing on the Colosseum wall, in defiance of security…
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If you enjoyed this & you're interested in learning more about some of my research, I've collected some bits & pieces in this thread-of-threads. Happy reading!
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Paul Cooper
@PaulMMCooper
· Oct 5, 2017
A thread-of-threads on my research into ruins: ancient, modern & imaginary.
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Turn the news off and read this lovely thread about the Colosseum instead...
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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As someone who loves both botany and Roman architecture, this thread rules
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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A thread on reading history through the flora of a place, and the traces left by those plants in paintings, literature, and poetry.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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What a quality thread.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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This is a Good. Thread.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Tremendous read on the Colosseum, it's plant life and life after the Roman Empire.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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A beautiful thread combining history, natural history, and art history.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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How ruined should ruins be? A fun thread on two of my favorite things: ruins and flowers.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Interesting thread on the Colosseum:
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Thread
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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ridiculously cool thread
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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This is a fantastic thread exploring the unique intersections that can develop between archaeological remains and plant communities... great images too! #archaeobotany #anthroecology
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Best thread.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Beautiful thread with an intersection of botany, art, archaeology, literature, and history.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Do read this wonderful thread!
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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This thread is incredible (also s/o east anglia)
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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ve lo consiglio (thread)
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Excellent thread.
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Thread!
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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Thread ..
When botanist Richard Deakin examined Rome’s Colosseum in the 1850s, he found 420 species of plant growing in the ruins: cypresses & ilex, pea plants & over 50 types of grass. But some flowers growing there mystified him. They were so rare they were found nowhere else in Europe.
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